Saint Venera
Encyclopedia
Saint Venera is venerated as a Christian
martyr
of the 2nd century
. Little is known of this saint. The date of her death is traditionally given as July 26, 143 AD.
In the Catalogo Sanctorum, composed by Pietro de Natalibus between 1369 and 1372, he cites in Chapter 61 the name of a virgin martyr named Veneranda. According to de Natalibus, Veneranda was born in Gaul
in the 2nd century and martyred in Rome
during the time of Emperor Antoninus Pius
(138-161 AD).
A version of her legend states that Venera, as a girl, studied the Gospel with zeal, and left her home in Gaul
to become a missionary. She travelled to Grotte, in Sicily
, and preached there, and lived in a cave, near the present-day Corso Garibaldi. She became well loved amongst the local populace, and she tended to the sick. It is said that her visits would leave behind a scent of roses. She was kidnapped and taken to Acireale
, and was subjected to tortures there, including being boiled in hot oil, from which she emerged even more beautiful than before. Ultimately, she was decapitated. Her body was placed in the catacomb of Santa Domitilla.
According to one version of her legend, her parents were two noble Christians named Agatho (Agatone) and Hippolyte (Ippolita). When their daughter was born, the mother wanted to call her Venera, but the father, not wanting to create associations with the goddess Venus, changed his daughter’s name to Veneranda, a rough Latin translation of the Greek name Paraskevi
("Friday," literally "Preparation"). Venera or Veneranda studied the Scriptures and lives of the martyrs as a child, and when her parents died, she dedicated herself to helping the poor and the sick. She distributed her wealth across Sicily
. She preached on the Italian mainland as well, such as at Calabria
and Campania
.
She was on her way to Rome when she was arrested by the Roman prefect Antonius, who attempted to force her to renounce her faith with temptations and an offer of marriage, and then by torture. Antonius had her wear a helmet of red-hot iron, had her nailed on a cross, and placed on her chest a large block of sandstone. However, Venera survived all of these tortures and converted the men who were assigned to torture her. The prefect had her placed in a hot cauldron of oil and sulfur for seven days, but Venera was unharmed. The prefect, after seeing that Venera was unharmed, asked the saint if it was magic that was keeping her unharmed. When Venera asked the prefect to approach the cauldron to determine this, he refused. Venera then scooped up some of the burning sulfur and oil in her hand, and threw it in the prefect’s face, blinding him. Subsequently, Antonius freed her and converted to Christianity.
Venera then converted many across Magna Graecia
, and drew the attention of a ruler named Themius or Theotimus (Temio, Teotimo), who also subjects Venera to tortures, including the ones that Saint Agatha is said to have suffered –the slicing off of a breast. Venera also vanquished a dragon
. Themius was also subsequently converted. Venera then traveled to Gaul, and was ultimately decapitated after once again enduring tortures under the prefect Asclepius. Before dying, Venera demolished a temple dedicated to Apollo
by reciting a prayer. Her body was left unexposed to the elements but remained miraculously intact.
, where it was venerated until the 4th century, and then taken by a priest named Anthimus (Antimo) to Rome on November 14. At the end of the Middle Ages, the relics were reclaimed by Acireale
, but relics associated with Venera were distributed across Sicily and Italy.
At the beginning of the 17th century, Venera’s cult flourished, when the relics of the saint were transferred from the Church of Jesus and Mary to the Cathedral of Acireale. In 1668, the Sacred Congregation of Rites
officially approved her cult.
Records from the basilica of Santa Maria a Pugliano in Ercolano
state that Pope Alexander VII
donated relics associated with Veneranda and a Saint Maximus in the 17th century to the Procurator General of the Carmelites
in Rome. These were then given to Father Simone dello Spirito Santo, of the Carmelite convent of Torre del Greco
, near Ercolano, establishing Veneranda’s popularity and the diffusion of her cult in the area of Ercolano.
The city of Ercolano has two churches dedicated to Veneranda, and a painting dedicated to her in the city shows her name in Greek as Aghia Paraskebe (Saint Paraskevi
), which attests to an identification of Veneranda with the martyr Paraskevi of Rome
, celebrated on July 26.
Venera or Veneranda is the patroness of the Maltese
town of Santa Venera
. The saint’s connection to this town is in doubt. As one source states: “Santa Venera is a very old place, much older than its name, unless they are right who declare that no such Christian saint ever existed as Venera, and that the name is simply a variant of venere, and nothing more nor less than the Italian form of the name of the goddess of love. These people maintain that the hill-town of Aphrodisia stood on this site, and the church of Santa Venera, in the Naumachia
, was a temple of Aphrodite
seven hundred years before Christianity
had any martyrs.”
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
of the 2nd century
2nd century
The 2nd century is the period from 101 to 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period...
. Little is known of this saint. The date of her death is traditionally given as July 26, 143 AD.
In the Catalogo Sanctorum, composed by Pietro de Natalibus between 1369 and 1372, he cites in Chapter 61 the name of a virgin martyr named Veneranda. According to de Natalibus, Veneranda was born in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
in the 2nd century and martyred in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
during the time of Emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
(138-161 AD).
A version of her legend states that Venera, as a girl, studied the Gospel with zeal, and left her home in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
to become a missionary. She travelled to Grotte, in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and preached there, and lived in a cave, near the present-day Corso Garibaldi. She became well loved amongst the local populace, and she tended to the sick. It is said that her visits would leave behind a scent of roses. She was kidnapped and taken to Acireale
Acireale
Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...
, and was subjected to tortures there, including being boiled in hot oil, from which she emerged even more beautiful than before. Ultimately, she was decapitated. Her body was placed in the catacomb of Santa Domitilla.
According to one version of her legend, her parents were two noble Christians named Agatho (Agatone) and Hippolyte (Ippolita). When their daughter was born, the mother wanted to call her Venera, but the father, not wanting to create associations with the goddess Venus, changed his daughter’s name to Veneranda, a rough Latin translation of the Greek name Paraskevi
Paraskevi
Paraskevi is a female name. Variations include Petka, Paraskeva, Praskovia, Praskovie, Pyatnitsa, Pyetka, Paraskevoula, Paraschiva and Voula.Notable people with the name include:*Voula Patoulidou, Greek hurdler and long jumper*Paraskevi...
("Friday," literally "Preparation"). Venera or Veneranda studied the Scriptures and lives of the martyrs as a child, and when her parents died, she dedicated herself to helping the poor and the sick. She distributed her wealth across Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. She preached on the Italian mainland as well, such as at Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
and Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
.
She was on her way to Rome when she was arrested by the Roman prefect Antonius, who attempted to force her to renounce her faith with temptations and an offer of marriage, and then by torture. Antonius had her wear a helmet of red-hot iron, had her nailed on a cross, and placed on her chest a large block of sandstone. However, Venera survived all of these tortures and converted the men who were assigned to torture her. The prefect had her placed in a hot cauldron of oil and sulfur for seven days, but Venera was unharmed. The prefect, after seeing that Venera was unharmed, asked the saint if it was magic that was keeping her unharmed. When Venera asked the prefect to approach the cauldron to determine this, he refused. Venera then scooped up some of the burning sulfur and oil in her hand, and threw it in the prefect’s face, blinding him. Subsequently, Antonius freed her and converted to Christianity.
Venera then converted many across Magna Graecia
Magna Graecia
Magna Græcia is the name of the coastal areas of Southern Italy on the Tarentine Gulf that were extensively colonized by Greek settlers; particularly the Achaean colonies of Tarentum, Crotone, and Sybaris, but also, more loosely, the cities of Cumae and Neapolis to the north...
, and drew the attention of a ruler named Themius or Theotimus (Temio, Teotimo), who also subjects Venera to tortures, including the ones that Saint Agatha is said to have suffered –the slicing off of a breast. Venera also vanquished a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
. Themius was also subsequently converted. Venera then traveled to Gaul, and was ultimately decapitated after once again enduring tortures under the prefect Asclepius. Before dying, Venera demolished a temple dedicated to Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
by reciting a prayer. Her body was left unexposed to the elements but remained miraculously intact.
Veneration
After her martyrdom in Gaul, Christians are said to have transported her body to Ascoli PicenoAscoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is c. 51,400.-Geography:...
, where it was venerated until the 4th century, and then taken by a priest named Anthimus (Antimo) to Rome on November 14. At the end of the Middle Ages, the relics were reclaimed by Acireale
Acireale
Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...
, but relics associated with Venera were distributed across Sicily and Italy.
At the beginning of the 17th century, Venera’s cult flourished, when the relics of the saint were transferred from the Church of Jesus and Mary to the Cathedral of Acireale. In 1668, the Sacred Congregation of Rites
Sacred Congregation of Rites
The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on January 22, 1588 by Pope Sixtus V and dissolved by Pope Paul VI on May 8, 1969....
officially approved her cult.
Records from the basilica of Santa Maria a Pugliano in Ercolano
Ercolano
Ercolano is a town and comune in the province of Naples, Campania . It lies at the western foot of Mount Vesuvius, on the Bay of Naples, just southeast of the city of Naples. The medieval town of Resina was built on the volcanic material left by the eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the ancient...
state that Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII , born Fabio Chigi, was Pope from 7 April 1655, until his death.- Early life :Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V , he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from...
donated relics associated with Veneranda and a Saint Maximus in the 17th century to the Procurator General of the Carmelites
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
in Rome. These were then given to Father Simone dello Spirito Santo, of the Carmelite convent of Torre del Greco
Torre del Greco
-Main sights:*Roman archaeological remains, including the so-called "Villa Sora" , probably a property of the Flavians.*Monastery of the Zoccolanti, with a cloister housing 28 frescoed panels depicting the life of St...
, near Ercolano, establishing Veneranda’s popularity and the diffusion of her cult in the area of Ercolano.
The city of Ercolano has two churches dedicated to Veneranda, and a painting dedicated to her in the city shows her name in Greek as Aghia Paraskebe (Saint Paraskevi
Saint Paraskevi
Saint Paraskevi , literally "Preparation" as the day of preparation for Sabbath, "Friday") can refer to several saints ....
), which attests to an identification of Veneranda with the martyr Paraskevi of Rome
Paraskevi of Rome
Saint Paraskevi of Rome is venerated as a Christian martyr of the 2nd century. According to Christian tradition, she was born in Rome about 140 AD to parents who were Christians. Her parents, Agathon and Politia, were of Greek origin, and had prayed for many years to have a child...
, celebrated on July 26.
Venera or Veneranda is the patroness of the Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
town of Santa Venera
Santa Venera
Santa Venera is a town in Malta, with a population of around 6,800 . This settlement is found in the Outer Harbour Region of Malta. The oldest buildings in Santa Venera are Wignacourt Aqueduct and Casa Leoni, both of which were built by the Knights of St. John.A new church has been built recently...
. The saint’s connection to this town is in doubt. As one source states: “Santa Venera is a very old place, much older than its name, unless they are right who declare that no such Christian saint ever existed as Venera, and that the name is simply a variant of venere, and nothing more nor less than the Italian form of the name of the goddess of love. These people maintain that the hill-town of Aphrodisia stood on this site, and the church of Santa Venera, in the Naumachia
Naumachia
The naumachia in the Ancient Roman world referred to both the re-enactment of naval battles and the basin in which this took place....
, was a temple of Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
seven hundred years before Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
had any martyrs.”